Automatic cold-metal feeder for type-casting machines



. G. L. fom. AUTOMATIC C-OLD METAL FEEDER FOR TYPE CASTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3l. 192|.

L41 Qf Pa'nApr- I8, 1922.

TMll/wallie NETE@ STATS ,PATENT THQ@ GEORGE L. roar, or KANSAS CITY,MISSOURI.

AUTOMATIC COLD-METAL FEEDER FOB TYPE-CASTING MACHINES.

Application filed May 31, 1921.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE L. FORT, a citizen of the United States, andresident of Kansas City, county of Jackson, State of Missouri, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Automatic Cold- MetalFeeders for Type-Casting Machines, of which the following is a completespecification.

This invention relates to cold metal feeders for casting machines,especially line and type casting machines, and has for its object toproduce a construction whereby the quantity of molten metal in the metalpot of such machine, shall be automatically replenished andthermostatically maintained at a substantially predetermined level.

A further object is to produce a simple and eficient cold metal feederattachment susceptible of economical and ready application to any of thestandard or approved types of metal pots now in use.

With these general objects in view, the invention consists in certainnovel and useful features of construction and combinations of parts ashereinafter described and claimed; and in order that it may be fullyunderstood reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing inwhich:

Figure l is afragmentalview partly in elevation and partly in verticalsection of the metal pot of a casting machine, and illustrates inoperative relation thereto, a section of a feeder attachment embodyingthe invention, the sectionV being taken on the line I-I of Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a section taken on the line II-II of Figure Al.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line lIl--III of Figure l.

Figure 4, is an inverted plan view of the attachment,

Figure 5 is an enlarged section takenon the line V--V of Figure l. A

Figure 6 is a sectional perspective view of a modified form. of theattachment.

In the said drawing, and referring par-v Speccation of Letters Patent.

Patented apr. is', maa.

Serial No.` 474,054.

ferred to, by covering the opening 3 in the hood. In the preferred formof the invention the attachment is adapted for retaining a coldmetal-pig hereinafter identified, in a vertical position so that throughthe weight of the pig, it shall be fed into molten metal in the metalpot. As'shown a vertical guiding frame 6 is formed integral bypreference, with the base 4, and is of rec'i tangular form in crosssection. It is provi-ded at each side with a vertical slot or opening 7so as to leave for the greater part of its length, corner standards, andthese standards at their inner sides are grooved out to leave narrowtracks 8 which are machined so as to make them perfectly smooth wherethey come in contact with the metal pig 9, adapted in the preferredform, to be retained in a substantially vertical position and fed bygravity through said retaining guide and holder 6.

As the pigs may not always be of standard cross sectional area so as tosnugly engage all of the tracks 8, it may be found advantageous toprovide within the guide, suitable means whereby the pig may be adjustedso that its travel shall be undeviating, the means shown being a smoothplate 10 which. is fitted between one side'of the guide andthe pig. Thisplate is supported in position by a plurality of screws ll eX- tendingthrough the wall of the guide, and such screws are supported in tubularbushings 12 threaded as at 13 into the guide. By proper adjustment ofsaid bushings the plate vcan be adjusted until it applies pressurefiatwise against the adjacent face of the pig, and then the screws canbe turned to clamp the plate tightly against the inner ends of thebushings so that it shall constitute in effect a rigid part of theguide, withlout applying sufficient pressure on the pig yis a clampplate or brake 15, the same having a pin-and-slot connection with theguide as shown in Figure l, so that it may be moved toward and from thesaid plate 10, without chance of dislocation. An angle lel` g c y'ie-isses an opening 17 in an outwardly projectingshelf 18 o'l' theguide, the outer end ot said levei: beingtulcrumed on ears pi'oiectingupwardly from said shelf, as shown clearlyA in Figures 1 and 2. Anadjustable screw or pin 19 is mounted in the lever and is secured atthev desired point ot adjustment by means of a Alock nut 20, and thelower end ot' said pin engages the upper end of a thermostat 21projecting into a guide opening in the shelf, and extending down throughthe base e and into the pot to about the normal or desired level of' themolten metal therein, the lower end of the thermostat being held rigidlyin place by means of a suitable yoke or brackets preferably cast withand dependingv Jfrom the saidbase 4.

. By reference to Figure 1 it will he seen that when the lower end ofthepig is submerged in the molten metal ot the pot,v the vformer issubjected to a meltinguaction, and that when the heat is sufficientwithin the pot, as whenl the level of the molten liquid touches lthelower end of the thermostat, the latter is expanded upwardly and appliesVupward pressure against the pin 1S) and thereby imparts movement to thelever to cause the brake 15 to apply pressure on and check furtherdownward movement of the pig and hold the same in tired position untilsufficient molten metal. has been withdrawn from the pot to lower thetemperature ot the thermostat. When this occurs the vteinperature of thethermostat falls and when this has progressed suHicient-ly, the pigbegins to slip or feed downward, the recurrence ot a sufficiently hightemperature duc to an increase in the 'quantity ofi molten metalproduced in the pot by the melting .ot thevpig, immediately effectingthe rearrest oi the pig in its downward movement.

it has been found in actual Apractice that this theri'nostatic controlis positive :ind reliable and results in the gradual feeding ot the coldmetal to the molten. metal inthe 'pot as needed and that it willcontinue as long as the pig is within the plane oi engagemei'it et thebrake. 1When a gig passes the brake another one is placed in the guideand the operations described are repeated.

In Figure 6, a modification of the attachi-'neiit is shown, the guide inthis instance being shown as cylindrical and composedV of an uppermember 23 and a lower member 121i detacliably but rigidly suspended fromthe upper member and provided with an inwardly -projjectingila-ngc 25 atits lower end. This lower member in conjunction with a ring 26, enclosedwithin it and composed of different metal, constitutes a, ther-.,inostat which is capable of variation i'n'sizeL in only a singledirection, that is to say in temperature, is adapted to grip and hold a'cylindrical pig (not shown) fitted in the guide and through thethermostat thereof Vand thus prevent the pig from `moving downward. Whenthe tempeiature falls sufficiently the said inner member of thethermostat will react and thusl releasekits grip upon the pig and permitthe latter to feed downward into the molten metal of the pot. It will beapparent ofcourse that there may be other types of thermostatssubstituted for either of those described without departing from the.principle of construction and model of operation involved, and that itmay be practical to dispose the pig in a position other than vertical,

and utilize a torce analogous to gravity, such as a spring, foradvancing the pig into the 'pot when the heat reaches a suitable vdegree. 1t will therefore be understood that 1 reserve the right to makesuch changes in the form, proportion, detail construction andarrangement of the parts as shall properly. 'tall within the spirit andscope ofthe appended claims. l

What 1 claim is: Y

1. rEhe combination with a'metal pot containing molten metal and meanstor guiding a cold metal pi g arranged for automatic advance,v intocontact with such molten metal, ot thermostatic Vmeans forcontrollingthe advance movement oit the pig through the said guiding`means into the pot.

,2. The combination with a. metal pot containing molten metal and means'tor guiding a cold metal pigl arranged `for autoj matic advance, intocontact with such molten metal, and therinostatic means for applyingforce against the side of' the pig to arrest its advance movement and torelair suoli pressure when the .thermostatic means cools sufficiently.AI y .3. The combination with a metal pot, of means for retaining a coldmetal pig dependinginto said pot, in a substantially Vvertical position,and thermostatic means ttor controlling downward movement of the pigtl'irough` the holding means intothe pot. l l

4. The combination withna metal pot l.of

-means tor-retainingy afcold metal pig der-- pending intoy said pot, athermostat depending into the pot, and means actuated by expansion ofthe thermostat to arrest into said pot7 a brake, and :i lever aetimted:feeding movement of the pig into the metal by expansion of thethermostat, to cause pot. said brake to engage the pig and hold the 105. The combination with a metal pot7 saine against feeding movement. 5guiding ineens for holding a cold metal pig n Witness whereof I hereuntoaiX my depending into said pot, in a substantially signature. Verticalposition, a thermostat depending H GEORGE L. FORT.

